Process of impregnating articles with gut



Sept. 2 v 1924.. 1,507,232

J. J. CULLINAN PROCESS OF IMPREGNATING ARTICLES WITH GUT Filed April 1'71922 -J'nuentoz Patented Sept. 2, 1924.,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. CULLINAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF IlYIPR-EGNATING ARTICLES WITH GUT,

Application filed April 17, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J, CULLINAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes ofimpregnating Articles with Gut.

This invention relates to a method or process of impregnating wooden ormetallic articles with gut, The articles contemplated as subject to theprocess may be generally classified as implements or parts of implementswhich are made use of in striking blows, or imparting movement to otherarticles or objects by a swinging motion of the head or striking portionof the implement against the moving or stationary object, such as aball.

The foregoing description suggests im plements used in playing at thevarious forms of sport, and it is contemplated that the invention, maybe utilized in improving the structure and quality of the manyimplements of sport and play, such as golf clubs, tennis rackets,baseball bats, croquetmallets, billiard cues, and even the morecommercial or industrial implements, as jewelers hammers and other toolsof like character.

The object of the invention is to pro vide a new and novel constructionfor articles or implements of the character described utilizing what iscommonly called cat-gut, or simply gut, a tough and resilient animaltissue procured from the intestinal tract of sheep, and by a process ortreatment reduced to its commercial form in smooth strands or threads ofuniformly circular section. As a material, its qualities are well known.Its high tensile strength, resiliency, elasticity, produces acombination of qualities which is not possessed by any other substancefor surgical thread, strings for musical instruments, for tennis racketsand like purposes.

The use of this substance may also be extended as medium of reinforcingand strengthening the material of which implements are made, and also asa binding or connecting material, where metallic fastening members wouldotherwise be used.

In the application of the gut to various forms of articles andimplements, the method or process involved is generally the same, towit: the impregnation of the article with one or more strands of gut,ordi- Serial No. 554,325,

narily extending at right angles to the contact face, and in line withthe direction of the force delivered against the object or ball struck,The strand or strands furthermore, extend a considerable distance intothe material impregnated, and more often, completely through it, onefeature of the process being the method of anchoring the ends of thestrand in place so that it becomes an integral part of the material. Inthe drawings are illustrated several applications of the impregnatingprocess, each embodying the same principle, but varying somewhat in theresults attained.

Figure l is a fragmentary view of a single strand passing through anyarticle, showing the general principle of the process. Figure 2 is aview in longitudinal section of the neck portion of a tennis racket,showing the use of gut as reinforcing and fastening material. Figure 3is a fragmentary view of mallet head, showing the strands Consideringthe process in its broadest aspect, it consists in boring or drilling ahole through the article to be treated, the line or direction of thebore being crosswise of the grain, or transverse to the place ofcleavage between the fibers of the wood or parallel to the direction ofthe blow delivered, depending on the particular implement. The hole orbore is of a size to permit a strand of gut, to be drawn or forcedthrough the same with a snug fit. Before the strand is inserted, it ispreferably dipped in hot glue, the insertion being completed withoutdelay and before the moisture and heat has an opportunity of affectingthe gut, Having inserted the strand within the bore, it will immediatelyswell, due to the application of the glue, and become firmly lodged inplace, the glue acting as a cement or adhesive. The ends of the strandwill ordinarily project from the surface of the article, and these endsare then treated so that they are firmly anchored, this being especiallydesirable in case the strand is to be subjected to tension. In the firstplace, the ends are trimmed close to the surface,and then a hot iron orflame is momentarily applied to the exposed ends, thus searing orburning the substance, and causing it to swell for an appreciabledistance inwardly from the ends. When the substances have cooled andhardened, a pen fect enlargement or head not unlike a rivet head isfermed. In fact, these enlargements or heads act in the same manner as arivet head, preventing the slightest endwise movement of the strand. Thegut having been inserted with a previous application of glue and thesubsequent searing of the ends, produce a permanent and integralimpregnation of the gut substance, as impervious to exterior condition,and as lasting as the impregnated material itself.

The" advantages are many fold. In the first place, the gut islighter'than the material' in most cases used, so that greater lightnessin weight may be obtained without a material sacrifice in density;secondly, the gut is more resilient than wood, so that the resiliency ofthe implement or part impregnated is increased; (a golf club head is agood example of the desirability of added" resiliency); and thirdly, thetenacity of the gut is greater than the tenacity of the fibres of thewood, to the end that the wood is reinforced and strengthened againstcracking and splitting.

Considering now the various applications of the process, Figure 1illustrates the manner in which a body of wood A is impregnated with asingle strand of gut B,

in accordance with the method hereinbefore set forth. The strand passesthrough from face to face, and crosswise of the grain, and the endsthereof, treated to provide the heads of enlargements Z), Z). Nhile asingle strand is shown, it is understood that a plurality of suchstrands would be used, so that the entire contact area or face andportion immediately behind would be thoroughly impregnated with gut. Incarrying out the process relatively large strands of gut, of say, oneeighth inch diameter is preferred. The manifest results of suchtreatment, would be increased resiliency and strength, anddecreased-weight, although this last effect is not so material, exceptas a means of securing proper bal ance or distribution of the weight.

A. further application of the process is in the construction of tennisrackets (Figure 2). The head of a tennis racket consists of an annularframe formed from a single length of wood, bent to shape, and the ends 0,0 brought together to form the neck, and the central core of the rackethandle. A. wedge shape piece D is inserted between the ends of the headforming member, and these parts together form the throat of the racket.Ordinarily these parts are secured together by a metal pin or rivetextending transversely through the parts.

As clearly shown in Figure 2, a length of gut E, of say one eighth inchdiameter, passes completely around the frame of the racket. The gutterminates in free end portions 6 e, which are threaded through bores, ff, alternately inclined in opposite directhe exposed end surfaces in thesuggested manner. This application of gut suggests the locking of theparts together, throughout the length of the throat,"but differingtherefrom, in that the gut ispermanently embedded or impregnated intothe wood, and its ends anchored against removal. By this process, theuse of metal is entirely eliminated as a fastening means, the bindingeffect is distributed throughout the en? tire extent of the throat orneck, and the weight of the racket is not disturbed appreciably althoughwhatever change is produced is for decreased weight. Further.- more,greater resiliency is obtained in the racket frame.

A third application of the method is illustrated in connection with acylindric body (Figure 8 which may represent the head G of a roquemallet or the like. Here again the strands of ut Hare insertedcompletely through the head, although axially thereof, that is, at rightangles to the striking faces of the head. Inasmuch as playing malletsare not subjected to hard usage, the strengthening of the same againstbreakage is not so essential as imparting to the head the quality ofresiliency. Hence the strands are located with respect to the directionof the blow struck by the mallet head rather than with any relation tothe grain of the wood.

dimiIar applications of impregnating gut would be resorted to intreating polo sticks and billiard cues, regard being had in eachinstance to the manner in which the article is to be used. For examplein a billiard cue, a single strand of relatively large gut would beextended axially from end to end. The result would be a central core ofgut, imparting resiliency in a lengthwise direction, increased lightnessand improved bal: ance,and elimination of a tendency to warp out ofshape. Manifestly it would be im: possible to consider ever use to whichthis process may be employer? and the particular advantages that wouldbe derived in each case. Therefore it is to be understood that it isnotthe intention to limit-the invention to the use disclosed herein, butincludes any and all applications coming within the scope of theappended claims.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. A solid body having a strand of gut passing therethrough and securedagainst displacement in the body, one end at least: being secured by aheat expanded enlarges ment substantially flush with the surface of thebody.

2. A solid body for concussive use having a strand of gut passingthrough and tightly fitting with a bore passing through said body, saidstrand being held against movement in said body by heat expandedenlargements at the ends of said gut substantially flush with thesurface of the body.

3, A solid body laced with a strand of gut passing therethrough andsecured against movement in the body by a heat expanded enlargement atone end at least of the strand, substantially flush with the 3 urface ofthe bOdy.

4. An implement for concussive use comprising a solid body portion lacedWith a strand of gut passing through said body and secured againstmovement in said body by "fthe enlargement of the strand by heatexpansion.

5. An implement for concussive use, comprising a solid body portionlaced with a strand of gut passing through holes bored in said body andheld against movement in said body by the expansion of said strand byheat, and heat expanded enlargements at the ends thereof substantiallyflush with the surface of said body.

6, The process of lacing a solid body with gut consisting in perforatingthe body, pro: riding a gut strand, coating said strand with a softeninadhesive and, before the adhesive has sof tened the gut, passing saidstrand through the perforation, then permitting it to soften andassimilate itself to the walls of the perforation and finally securingthe ends against drawing through the perforation by enlarging them bysearing.

7 The process of lacing a solid body with gut consisting of perforatingthe body, inserting a strand of gut. through said bore, said gut beingpreviously treated to effect the permanent retention of the gut, andfinally enlarging the ends of the strand by searing.

8. The process of lacing a solid body with gut consisting of perforatingthe body with a plurality of holes, coating strands of gut with anexpanding agent, inserting the strands within said holes before theexpansion has been effected, and finally searing the ends of the strandsat the surface of the body.

9, The process of lacing a solid body with gut consisting of perforatingthe body parallel with the direction of concussion providing a gutstrand, coating said strand with a softening adhesive and before saidadhesive has softened the gut passing said strand through theperforation, then allowing the gut to soften and assimilate itself tothe walls of the perforation and finally securing the ends againstdrawing through the perforations by enlarging the same by searing.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of April,A, 11,

JOHN J. CULLINAN.

